Created for love
What if the very name of God—Elohim—tells us why He created the universe? The secret is hidden in plain sight within the Hebrew letters.
Created for Love: The Hidden Message in Elohim
I spent five years studying Genesis 1:1 and the Hebrew alphabet, and no matter how deep I go, I keep coming back to the same truth: creation was an act of love.
We often hear that God is self-satisfied, complete in Himself. That is true. But we also hear that He created for His pleasure. How do we reconcile these ideas? The answer is simple: God takes pleasure in loving. Creation itself is the outpouring of that love.
Elohim: A Name That Tells a Story
We’ve already noted that the Hebrew name Elohim carries layered meanings. One breakdown reveals:
- אל (El) – "God"
- ה (He) – "separated from us by ignorance"
- ים (Yim) – creation יfinished by the Son ם ... that's us.
Thus, Elohim can mean "God, separated from us by ignorance." This aligns with the biblical theme that we are estranged from Him, not because He is distant, but because we fail to understand Him.
But now, let's take another look at Elohim through the lens of Hebrew letter formations:
- א (Aleph) – "I"
- ל (Lamed) – "for"
- ה (He) – "her"
- י (Yod) – "created"
- ם (Mem) – "and finished it by the Son"
Read this way, Elohim tells a remarkable story:
"I, for her, created everything and finished it by the Son."
The implications are stunning. From the very beginning, God’s name tells us that creation was an expression of love. The "her" speaks of the bride, His people, the ones He created to love. And it was always His plan to finish creation through the Son.
God’s First Act Was Love
This should not surprise us. Scripture says:
"We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
Before anything existed, before sin entered the world, before we could do anything for or against Him—God loved us. His first act of creation was not out of necessity, boredom, or divine experimentation. It was an outpouring of love.
And if love was at the heart of creation, then God is not the ever-angry judge many imagine Him to be. He knew from the beginning that we would fail. Yet, He still created us, not to condemn, but to redeem.
Sin Is Not His First Concern—Love Is
Many live under the weight of guilt, thinking that their failures are always on God's mind. But the truth is, before sin even entered the world, God had already provided the remedy. The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the earth (Rev. 13:8).
Your sin does not shock God. He is not waiting for an opportunity to crush you. His plan has always been to close the gap between you and Him—not through punishment, but through teaching, revealing, and ultimately, through the finished work of the Son.
The Universe Was Created for Love—And Finished in Christ
If Elohim’s name declares the act of love in creation, Christ declares its completion:
"It is finished." (John 19:30)
From Genesis to the Cross, the story remains the same: God loved first. The universe exists because of His love for you. And in Christ, His love is made complete.
Some of these ideas challenge traditional Evangelical interpretations. Below are common points of controversy along with responses from our hermeneutic.
1. "Elohim" as a Hidden Message of Love
Controversy: Many Evangelicals see Elohim as simply the plural form of El, reflecting the majesty or triune nature of God. Some may find it speculative to derive additional meaning from its letter formations.
Response: Scripture repeatedly affirms that God’s nature is revealed through His name. Biblical names are not arbitrary; they carry theological weight. If Jesus (Yeshua) means "YHWH saves," why should we dismiss the idea that Elohim declares the purpose of creation? The New Testament confirms that all things were created through Christ (Col. 1:16) and for Him. Our approach aligns with this truth, showing how the Hebrew text itself contains a prophetic witness to Christ’s work.
2. "God is not primarily angry"
Controversy: Many Evangelicals emphasize God’s wrath against sin, arguing that His holiness demands justice. Some may feel that saying "sin is not God’s first concern" diminishes His righteousness.
Response: We do not deny God's holiness or justice, but we recognize the biblical order: love came first. John tells us, "God is love" (1 John 4:8), and Paul writes that love fulfills the law (Rom. 13:10). God’s justice serves His love, not the other way around. His goal is not to condemn but to reconcile (2 Cor. 5:19). If the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, then love preceded judgment. The parable of the trees suggests that his Divine Love constrains all of his other attributes. Others suggest his sovereignty rules all.
3. The Use of Hebrew Letter Meanings
Controversy: Some argue that breaking down words by their letters is not a standard linguistic method and can lead to subjective interpretations.
Response: We do not claim that these meanings replace traditional grammar, but rather that they reveal patterns consistent with biblical theology. Interpretations using word formations to derive the meaning of the words are less susceptible to subjectivity. Jesus interpreted the Old Testament in ways that astonished the scholars of His day, showing that deeper meanings exist beyond surface-level reading. Our approach aligns with how Scripture unveils hidden truths about Christ (Luke 24:27).
4. The Bride as the Object of Creation
Controversy: Some might say this idea leans too far into mystical or allegorical interpretation, preferring to see creation as simply an act of God's will rather than a love story.
Response: The Bible consistently uses bride imagery to describe God’s relationship with His people (Eph. 5:25-32, Rev. 21:2). If history culminates in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7), why should we hesitate to say that love was the reason for creation in the first place? The church is the ekklesia—the called-out bride—who was in God’s heart before the world began.
Conclusion
These ideas challenge some traditional frameworks, but they remain faithful to the biblical narrative. Our approach does not discard historical interpretations but builds on them, using Scripture to interpret Scripture and unveiling Christ in all things.
